【I’m glad to see the true you—the you I fell for at first sight.】
The Constellations’ messages—quiet for a while—started reaching Kang-hoo in a delayed chain, one after another.
The one to open the barrage was the Dimension Plunderer.
It seemed she had felt, in this battle, the desperation of needing victory—of having to stake his life for it.
“Wouldn’t that make you a fine Constellation with a fine contractor? When the upper stream is beautiful, the lower stream shines too.”
Responding to praise with even bigger praise. She would pretend to dislike the flattery and tell him not to butter her up, but her true feelings were obvious.
【Don’t flatter me. If you think that’ll make me let my guard down and give you more, you’re mistaken.】
As expected, the Dimension Plunderer never could act like a proper noble. Kang-hoo snickered at her 200%-predictable reaction.
Even if she talked like that, she would be the happiest one.
As his first contracted Constellation, the Dimension Plunderer’s pride was beyond imagination.
Even high-ranking ones like Cataclysm – Darkness and the Seeker of Pure Darkness watched their word choices around her.
【I didn’t know you could inject Dark Energy like that. Forcing it in is almost impossible.】
Cataclysm – Darkness remembered the gambit Kang-hoo had thrown when Vincent made his final, desperate struggle.
In ordinary cases, Cataclysm – Darkness’s image was correct. Forcing Dark Energy into someone was extremely difficult.
But it changed when, like Vincent, all resistance mechanisms were deliberately collapsed and Dark Energy was being used.
Kang-hoo had already anticipated that once Judgment activated on Vincent, the man would thrash to cling to life even a little longer.
For a hunter who primarily used Dark Energy, the easiest method was injecting it into the heart.
That could delay death for a few seconds at minimum, and a few minutes at most. Buying time.
In the process, resistance had to be drawn down to the absolute minimum—and at that moment, the target also became vulnerable to another person’s Dark Energy.
That was the opening Kang-hoo had aimed for.
This, too, was a setting from the original story.
It was also the finishing blow the protagonist Jang Si-hwan used when executing villains who tried to extend their lives through dirty tricks.
【The more I think about it…
I get the feeling my contractor is seeing a scope beyond what you can think and judge.
It was like you already knew who the enemy was and what weakness he had before you even met him—even though you’d never seen him once.
Still, because of that, I also take pride in my contractor’s ability, just like the Dimension Plunderer does.】
【At best you’re second place. So don’t try to quietly ride my coattails.】
【So clueless.】
The way old ex-boyfriend/ex-girlfriend bitterness slipped in like a chorus made Kang-hoo laugh.
The Constellation who spoke just now was the Seeker of Pure Darkness. He really was sharp.
He didn’t know Kang-hoo had possessed this body, but from what he had figured out, it was practically the whole truth.
Of course, even if he learned the truth about possession, it wouldn’t matter. Nothing would change.
And the Constellations’ mouths were heavier than people imagined. Let alone betraying their own contractors—something they almost never did.
Then—
【Thank you. Truly.】
One Constellation’s voice naturally seeped into the flood of praise. It was the Angel of the Battlefield.
She was also one of the reasons Kang-hoo had chosen to fight Vincent.
Because to obtain the fifth privilege she provided, Vincent’s “death” had to be guaranteed.
Kang-hoo gave a light bow toward wherever she was in the Grand Temple, then immediately checked the Constellation-related status window.
The Angel of the Battlefield’s unsealed fifth privilege had been glittering since the moment Vincent died.
【Innocent contractors killed by him have already surpassed a hundred.
He obsessively hunted down contractors bonded with the Hall of Radiance’s Constellations.
A public enemy who deserved death. The Hall of Radiance will genuinely rejoice in his death.】
Kang-hoo flinched at the weight in her voice—so unlike her usual gentle tone.
A contractor’s death, surprisingly, also stressed the Constellations.
The penalty inside the Grand Temple when they lost a contractor was bigger than people thought. Life also became far more troublesome.
But Vincent had specifically slaughtered hunters contracted to “good-aligned” Constellations tied to the Hall of Radiance.
For the Angel of the Battlefield—who cherished and loved the Hall of Radiance more than anyone—this pain would have been impossible to ignore.
So she had opened more of her holy power and placed it on her contractor as the fifth privilege.
It showed just how sincere she was about Vincent’s death. That was why Kang-hoo had been sincere in the fight, too.
【Fifth, you offer part of your holy power as a tribute to the Hall of Radiance and obtain ‘Radiance’s Call.’
It may be used to heal many cases of loss, such as scars, permanent disability, amputation, and other forms of bodily loss.
However, triggering Radiance’s Call requires consuming a considerable amount of holy power and stamina, so careful use is advised.
If you touch a target in need of healing, you can confirm the total amount of Radiance’s Call required and the final healed form.
Under ‘normal’ conditions, Radiance’s Call may be used at most once on a single person.
To use it again on the same person, you must surrender one Constellation contract as the price of ‘Disorder.’】
‘…She really is an angel.’
Seeing the ability granted as the fifth privilege, even Kang-hoo—rarely surprised—found his mouth falling open.
It was an ability so miraculous that ordinary people could call it a healing miracle without exaggeration.
A name immediately came to mind: Ju Haemi. This could be a path to help her eyes.
Of course, whether she wanted it mattered too, but the possibility now existed.
‘In the original story, Elizabeth had this incredible Constellation by her side… so miracles were the inevitable next step.’
In the original story, Elizabeth had performed countless “miracles.” In the end, they were likely acts of false virtue.
Now that the possibility had been cut off, her path would likely diverge from the original flow.
Kang-hoo felt certain that forcing a contract with the Angel of the Battlefield had been a brilliant move.
The fifth privilege would have meaning again and again for a long time.
If he truly wanted, he could even perform mysteries of salvation and healing like Elizabeth did.
Though he had no desire to casually perform miracles for the masses. That was a great way to paint a target on his back.
‘First I’ll collect every item and stash them in subspace. The plundered Constellations and hidden skills can be checked later.’
There was no reason to verify everything in a hurry, and above all, he strongly wanted to leave the area.
After Vincent, another unwanted guest could appear, and this place was a blind spot—outside everyone’s eyes.
He had already achieved his goal of luring Vincent out and killing him, so there was no reason to stay.
The 17th Dungeon in Nampo Direct-Controlled City had been nothing but bait from the start—an angler’s lure he never intended to bite.
He called Jang Si-hwan immediately.
It was obvious.
Jang Si-hwan would have designed this situation himself, so he would have dispatched cleanup personnel early too.
They were probably waiting at a distance, unseen. One of the two was guaranteed to die, after all.
Before the ring even completed once, Jang Si-hwan answered as if he had been waiting.
-Yes, Shin Kang-hoo-nim.
Kang-hoo had no intention of speaking long. Understanding, judgment, and interpretation—those were all Jang Si-hwan’s problems.
“I’m canceling the 17th Dungeon raid. I’m exhausted after using all my strength to catch a rat. I’ll raid it again next time. Thank you for understanding.”
-What? Shi—
Before Jang Si-hwan could finish calling his name, Kang-hoo hung up.
Whether it was the picture Jang Si-hwan wanted or not didn’t matter much. What mattered was whether it was the picture Kang-hoo wanted.
And in the end, everything had gone exactly as he intended.
Jang Si-hwan—without realizing it—had rendered distinguished service in the process.
He had delivered Vincent right to Kang-hoo’s doorstep.
Of course, in his own mind, Jang Si-hwan could think he had cleverly set the fight up.
‘That makes it even better.’
A delusion was free.
Who had used whom would become clear with time.
But the dead couldn’t speak—so unless Kang-hoo spoke first, he was sure Jang Si-hwan would never know until the end.
Looking down on others while believing you were several moves above them.
Kang-hoo intended to exploit Jang Si-hwan’s delusion for as long as possible.
Pretending not to notice and letting himself be played like a puppet—so what? If it was profitable, it was worth it.
There was only one thing he must not become. A corpse.
He just had to avoid ending up like Vincent, cooling into rigidity right now.
Time passed.
And just when Kang-hoo had left the scene behind—without even a trace of lingering attachment—Choi Sara’s cleanup began.
Vincent’s end, left naked with not a single item remaining, was humiliatingly pathetic.
She immediately video-called Jang Si-hwan, and they spoke in real time.
“As you can see, Vincent Meyer-nim has passed away.”
-Why are you using honorifics? You can just say Vincent Meyer is dead. Speak comfortably.
“Either way, reporting the scene again. Vincent Meyer-nim is dead, and it appears Shin Kang-hoo took all the items.”
-It’s obvious just by looking. Clean it up properly and return.
“Yes, Master.”
After ending the video call, Choi Sara’s gaze lingered for a long time on the wounds carved into Vincent’s body.
She, too, was a powerhouse—well past level 600—but she had always believed she was no match for Vincent.
It wasn’t just a matter of level difference. She had felt the gap in skill firsthand.
With Jang Si-hwan’s consideration, she had once conducted a mock battle with Vincent while wearing protective gear.
She had been dragged into Vincent’s firepower and toyed with until she lost—“one-sided” was the only word that fit.
And yet Shin Kang-hoo had killed Vincent one-on-one. No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t believe it.
There weren’t even that many wounds on the body. That meant it hadn’t been a brawl—attacks had been focused on a few points.
But the fact that those were deep enough to be fatal made her realize how sharp Kang-hoo’s intent had been.
And beyond that—
The burn marks left across Vincent’s entire body were proof, at a glance, that he had been exposed to intense fire.
A mage—Vincent—had been evenly burned head to toe while facing an assassin.
The picture felt flipped.
Shouldn’t the assassin, Kang-hoo, be the one with burns? Reality was the opposite—an abnormal scene where Vincent had been devastated by Kang-hoo.
“……”
Flinch.
Choi Sara turned around with a sudden thought.
If Shin Kang-hoo returned.
Or if he pretended to leave, then came back and ambushed her from behind— she felt she wouldn’t survive. It was a reflexive reaction that spilled out on its own.
Choi Sara was already afraid of Kang-hoo, a man she had never even properly faced.
Fear etched into her.
A fear that locked her completely inside the frame of a relative weakling— a loser’s distorted learning effect.
